Yes, folks. World War IV is in trouble and barely hanging by a thread. The anti-World War IV-forces are feeling their oats and seem to think they have WWIV beating a hasty retreat and only moments away from being put to flight. The only way to save WWIV from an ignimonious fate is to call out the troops in its defense. Certain signs might lead one to think Bush may be starting to go wobbly. Oh, where is Maggie and her handbag when you need them. Tony Blair's fundamental wetness and unreliability as a stalwart ally is starting to show through. But never fear, a new handbag wielder seems to be on the job, just as soon as she gets confirmed to her new State Dep't duties.
James Wolcott seems to have triggered this marshalling of forces with an all too casual flinging of the gauntlet (as is his wont, I'm afraid). Said our Jimmy:
It's going to break Norman Podhoretz's peach-pit heart, but it will soon become time to recognize the inevitable and blow the whistle on the World War IV he and the neocons have been so determined to wage.
And back came Norman firing his exhortation to the faithful defenders of poor, misunderstood WWIV. [ed., Well, if we're to get the timing absolutely right, seems Norman's broadside had been in the works for some time and it was now publication date regardless of whether Jimmy had published his cutting remarks , but let's not let a few minor details get in the way of a sweeping narrative.]
If the initial response of the faithful to Norman's call to arms is any indication, the partisans of WWIV can rest easier, knowing that renewed support is on its way. And in any event, Norman (after a rather lengthy analysis of every sliver of a "foreign policy school" across the US political spectrum) concludes that, amazingly enough, maybe Condi isn't going to need that handbag after all.
...I think (to say it one last time) that the amazing leader this President has amazingly turned out to be will—like the comparably amazing Harry Truman before him when he took on the Communist world—have the wind at his back as he continues the struggle against Islamist radicalism and its vicious terrorist armory: a struggle whose objective is the spread of liberty and whose success will bring greater security and greater prosperity not only to the people of this country, and not only to the people of the greater Middle East, but also to the people of Europe and beyond, in spite of the sorry fact that so many of them do not wish to know it yet.
The fight's not out of our Jimmy yet, however. Back he comes today with this next fling of ye olde gauntlet:
Pessimism, schmessifism. It doesn't matter if the glass is half-empty or half full if the glass is filled with blood needlessly shed.
And today [Roger] Simon is all caffeinated about another urgent summons from Norman Podhoretz to gird our loins and show the fortitude to wage World War IV. Ledeen, Chalabi, Podhoretz--these are your comrades, Mr. Simon, and you're welcome to them.
Defenders of WWIV, be prepared not just for some minor skirmishes. Your opponents seem to be gearing for a full-fledged offensive.
[posted on nadya's basket]
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